Apparatus for jointing timber sections



Aug. 18, 1970 s. FElGLiN 3,524,785

APPARATUS FOR JOINTING TIMBER SECTIONS Filed Jan. 23, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 18, 1970 Filed Jan. 23, 1967 S. FEIGLIN APPARATUS FOR JOINTING TIMBER SECTIONS 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 Aug. 18, 1970 s. FEIGLIN 3 APPARATUS FOR JOIN'I'ING TIMBER SECTIONS Filed Jan. 23. 1967 i 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 18, 1970 Filed Jan. 23, 1967 S. FEIGLIN APPARATUS FOR JOINTING TIMBER SECTIONS eats-Sheet 4.

J/M E United States Patent Int. (:1: B29c 19/02 US. Cl. 156-380 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for the continuous jointing of lengths of timber to form a unitary composite structure. Means are provided for conveying a plurality of trains of timber lengths laid in end to end alignment. A glueing station applies glue to a face of one of said trains facing another train. The trains converge in a guideway after application of the glue to effect substantial aligned interfacial contact of adjacent trains. A compression zone through which said glued and aligned trains are passed applies lateral clamping pressure to the trains, and a field of radio frequency energy associated with said compression zone to effect curing of the glue during passage therethrough. The compression zones has two spaced chains of links and each link is provided with means for applying said lateral clamping pressure.

This invention relates to the jointing of timber sections.

Whilst the assembly of random lengths of timber to form a composite structure is well known, all known methods have been limited to a batch operation with attendant high production costs.

It is the principal objective of this invention to provide apparatus for the continuous jointing of timber lengths to form a composite structure. It is a further objective of this invention to provide a decorative composite board formed from miscellaneous or selected lengths of timber.

With the above stated principal objective in view, there is provided according to the invention apparatus for the continuous jointing of lengths of timber to form a unitary composite structure, including means for conveying two or more trains of timber length laid in end to end alignment to a glueing station where glue is applied to at least one face of section in one of the trains, drive means for urging the trains into convergence in a guideway after application of the glue to effect substantial aligned interfacial contact of the two trains, means for passing the glued and aligned trains through a compression zone where lateral clamping pressure is applied to the trains, and a field of radio frequency energy associated with said compression zone to effect curing of the glue during passage therethrough. Conveniently, an automatic gluing station may be provided to apply glue to one or both of the ends of each section of timber in each train prior to conveyance of the trains to the face glueing station. Preferably, the ends of the timber sections in each train are formed with cooperating finger joints to increase the strength of the finished composite structure.

In the use, the apparatus is capable of producing economically boards of good stuctural strength from what had previously been regarded as waste material, furthermore, by selection of the timber lengths, a decorative board suitable for use as simulated parquetry flooring may readily be produced in unlimited lengths.

One practical arrangement of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 1a taken together are a plan view of the apparatus.

"ice

FIGS. 2 and 2a taken together are a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and la.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line A--A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows glue applicator for the finger joints.

FIG. 5 is a view of the drive gear wheels.

FIG. 6 is a view taken on the line BB in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a part side elevation of the compression chains.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the detail shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a detail view of several links of a compression chain incorporated in the apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the chain links shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows timber sections in alignment prior to passing through the machine.

FIG. 12 shows the glue applicator for the side faces of the timber trains; and

FIG. 13 is a detail cross section of part of the compression chain.

Referring now to the drawings, predressed timber board lengths are formed at each end with male and female finger joints respectively and then fed to an automatic gluing station I. In this station, pneumatic clamps 2 are provided to clamp the timber lengths and feed them past a glue applicator 3, shown in detail in FIG. 4, to a moving conveyor 4 where the timber lengths are arranged either manually or mechanically in two spaced, substantially parallel trains 5 and 6, with the male and female finger joints in loose cooperation.

The trains 5 and 6 pass on the conveyor 4 up to and through two pairs of smooth compression rollers 7, 8 and 8a and a roller similar to 8a and in alignment therewith under the roller 7, and thence past a further glueing station It), shown in detail in FIG. 12, where glue is applied to the side face of the timber lengths in one of the trains 5 and 6. After passing this glueing station, the trains 5 and 6 pass onto a metal guideway 9 having suitably disposed side walls 10a and 12 to urge the two trains 5 and 6 into convergence, i.e., side by side alignment. Located above the metal guideway 9 are two fiat toothed rollers 13, I4 and below these and the guideway 9 are two smooth rollers 15, 16, each roller having its axis transverse to the guideway. The smooth rollers 7, 8 and 15, 16, and the toothed rollers I3, 14 are driven by a single power source, the arrangement being that the speed of the smooth rollers 7, 8 is slightly greater than the speed of the toothed rollers 13, I4 and the rollers 15, 16. The teeth 11 of the rollers 13, 14 engage the upper faces of the trains and urge them along the guideway, the driving force exerted by the toothed rollers also serving to close the united finger joints 17 into close cooperation. Along the length of the guideway 9, spring loaded pressure plates 18 and I9, shown in FIG. 6, act on each of the trains to hold the lower faces 20 of the trains in close sliding contact with the base 21 of the guideway 9.

After traversing the guideway 9, the trains 5 and 6 enter a compression zone where pressure is applied laterally to the outer side faces 22, 23 of the aligned trains 5, 6 to effect compression of the aligned side faces of the trains along the glue line 24. The apparatus in the compression zone is shown in detail in FIGS. 7 to 10 and 13 and comprises two chains 26, 27, driven by motor 27a and located one on either side of the travelling timber trains 5, 6, each chain travelling in the direction of the timber trains about sprockets 28, 29 and 30, 31, respectively, each sprocket axis being perpendicular to the line of travel of the trains.

The linear speed of the chains is slightly less than the speed of the trains entering the compression zone, resulting in a further longitudinal compression force being applied thereto.

The links 32 of the chain 27 are each provided with a spring loaded work engaging member 33 and by adjustment of the tension in the springs 34, the compression force applied laterally to the travelling trains 5, 6 may be adjusted. This tension is varied partly by adjusting the position of a structure 46 supporting the chain 27 by manipulation of the handwheels 35, 35a to rotate the threaded shafts 36, 37. The combination allows changes in the lateral pressure applied to the chains to be effected by small movement of the hand wheels 35, 35a, and also adjustment of the distance between the chains 26 and 27.

Further adjustment of the tension in the chains may be effected by tightening or loosening the threaded member 47 (see FIG. 13) thus causing the projections 48 to move in the recesses 49 provided in the support members 50 located on the links 32, this action varying the thrust exerted by the Springs 34 on the work engaging member 33.

Located within the compression zone and along and over the glue line 24 of the travelling trains 5, 6 are two electrodes 38, 39, one on the upper face and one below the lower face of the glue line 24. The upper electrode 38 is spring loaded as shown in FIG. 7 to bear firmly against the moving glue line 24. These electrodes are coupled with a source of radio frequency energy shown generally at 40 in FIG. 1. Thus during passage of the trains 5, 6 through the compression zone, radio frequency energy is applied to the glue line via the electrodes 38, 39 to selectively heat the glue and accelerate setting thereof. By selection of a suitable speed of travel of the timber trains coupled with appropriate heating of the blue line the trains emerge continuously from the compression zone as a unitary composite structure 41. This structure may be cut to any desired lengths and preferably this is performed by a docking saw apparatus 42, shown in FIGS. 1a and 2a actuated by a switch 43 operated by movement of the structure 41. Operation of the switch 43 causes a pneumatic clamp 44 carrying the docking saw 43 to grip the moving structure 41 and travel with it during the cutting operation to avoid interruption of the continuous production thereof. After the cutting operation, the clamp 44 is disengaged and the docking saw 42 returns automatically to its rest position ready for the next cutting operation. The severed section of the composite structure 41 is then pushed from the cutting bench 45 by movement of the arm 52 to permit the passage of a further length of the composite structure 41 onto the cutting bench 45. The position of the switch 43 may be adjusted to permit the automatic cutting of a selected length of the composite structure 41.

The invention is not limited to the continuous jointing of two timber trains as by modification of the glueing station and guideway and by the provision of further electrodes more than two trains could be united. By selection of various timber, a board or the like may be readily formed suitable for use as simulated parquetry flooring, such a board being laid in the manner by which ordinary tongue and groove flooring boards are laid.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the continuous jointing of lengths of timber to form a unitary composite structure comprising drive means for conveying a plurality of trains of timber lengths laid in end to end alignment, a glueing station for applying glue to a face of one of said trains facing another train, a guideway, means for for urging said trains into convergence in said guideway after application of the glue to effect substantial aligned interfacial contact of adjacent trains, a compression zone comprising a pair of spaced chains of links through which said trains pass, lateral clamping means on each link for said trains for applying lateral clamping pressure to said trains, a field of radio frequency energy associated with said compression zone to effect curing of the glue during passage therethrough and each link of said chains having a spring loaded face.

2. Apparatus for the continuous jointing of lengths of timber to form a unitary composite structure comprising drive means for conveying a plurality of trains of timber lengths laid in end to end alignment, a glueing station for applying glue to a face of one of said trains facing another train, a guideway, means for urging said trains into convergence in said guideway after application of the glue to effect substantial aligned interfacial contact of adjacent trains, a compression zone comprising a pair of spaced chains of links through which said trains pass, lateral clamping means on each link for said trains for applying lateral clamping pressure to said trains, a field of radio frequency energy associated with said compression zone to effect curing of the glue during passage therethrough, said clamping means comprising a support member having recesses, a work engaging member having a projection cooperating with said recesses, a compression spring located on said projection between said work engaging member and said support member and means for adjusting the tension in said compression spring to con- ,7 trol the thrust exerted thereby on the work engaging memher.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for adjusting the tension in said compression spring comprises a screw member having a head and a threaded shaft, the head of said screw member being recessed in said work engaging member, its shaft passing freely through an aperture therein and threadably engaging said support memher, the tension in said compression spring being adjusted by said screw member.

References Cited U.S. Cl. X.R. 

